You have been called to an industrial warehouse for a 23 year old adult male who was exposed to an unknown chemical gas the pati
ent was immediately removed from the environment and presents to you with a patent airway, burning to the throat with inspiration, and complaint of shortness of breath. His vital signs are pulse, 120; respirations, 28 breaths/min; blood pressure, 164/60 mmHg; and SpO2, 90%. In addition, you note bilateral wheezing to the lungs. What should be your first action in caring for this patient?
The first step in this case is to ensure that the patient's body contains the appropriate oxygen levels, so you should provide supplemental oxygen administration.
Oxygen is a basic necessity for all humans. The air we breathe contains 21% oxygen. The man who has been intoxicated has difficulty breathing, so we can conclude that his body is oxygen deficient, which can cause many problems including death. For this reason, the first step is to administer supplemental oxygen and then provide emergency medical care for this man.
